Coin testing device



Patented June 4, 1935 PATENT-F OFF-ICE com 'ras'rmc DEVICE Emil Gral, Jamaica,

NlYaallimr-ctone-halt.

tolhrry E. Rubens, New York, N. 1. Application November 22,,1933, Serial No. 699,159

5 Claims. (Cl. 194-91) My invention relates to novel apparatus for and methods of preventing frauds and more particularly relates to novel apparatus for and methods of testing "coins or checks to determine whether or not they are legitimate or fraudulent.

Fraud preventing devices heretofore employed have operated on the principle of testing coins for some particular characteristic, such as its weight, the smoothness or'lack of smoothness 'of the face of the coin, or its thickness and the like.

matter to produce fraudulent checks or coins which, while they have the one characteristic of the testing machine, are still sumciently different therefrom in other characteristics as to prevent them from belnglegally held'as fraudulent imitations. Accordingly, the fraud-preventing'devices have accepted such fraudulent coins and to this extent have been inoperative for their intended purposes.

I have discovered that certain characteristics are common to a class of coins to such an extentthat any unauthorized imitation of all of these characteristics would constitute counterfeiting. Possession of such coins would be criminal and their existance therefore'extremely unlikely.

Thus, for example, the legal flve cent piece has a predetermined diameter, thickness at the edges and center, rim around the circumferential edge, and groove adjacent .this rim. All these characteristics, for example, are common to all legal five cent pieces and any existing checkor coin having all these characteristics would be such a likeness that it would, I believe, come within the scope of a counterfeit.

'A device, therefore, that could detect coins of these characteristics will be an effective means for selecting legal from fraudulent coins.

Accordingly, I have as the main object of my invention a novel method of and apparatus for tes ing coins and checks,

' A further object of/ my invention is to provide novel apparatus for and methods of selectively accepting coins and checks of these characteristics and rejecting counterfeits.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide novel apparatus for and methods of selectively accepting coins in accordance with the joint result of a plurality of different examinationsof the coin.

Still another object of my invention is to provide novel apparatus fo'r'and methods of simultaneously testing a plurality of different physical nection with thedrawings in which:

characteristics of a coin and jointly controlling selecting mechanism in accordance with all of these tests. I

In testing coins, it is of considerable importance that the operators thereof shall not have 5 access to the testing mechanism for the purpose of tampering with-its normal operation-in fact,

all testing should be'independent of the operator.

Accordingly, a; further object of my invention is toprovide novel apparatus for performing the 1 I testing operations at an inaccessible position; In all of these cases it is a relatively simple 7 'Still a further object of my invention is to provide 'novel apparatus for and methods of testing coins and checks in a predetermined manner independently of thehuman factor.

Still another object of my invention is to provide novel apparatus for and methods of testing coins, one at a time, regardless of the number of checks or coins inserted into the machine simultaneously. 20

There are other objects of my invention which together with the foregoing will appear in the detailed description whichis tofollow in con- Figure 1 is a side view of one embodiment of 25 the mechanism with part of the outer cover and top removed.

Figure 2 is a front view of the same.

Figure 3 is a top view of the mechanism'with the top cover removed. I 30 Figure 4 is a cross section'of the mechanism.

Figure 5 is across section taken along the plane 5-5, shown in Figure 4 and in the direction indicated by the arrows Figure 6 is an elevation taken along the plane 6-6, and in a direction indicated. by the arrows, and with parts of the mechanism removed.

Figure 7 is an elevation taken along the plane 1--!, and in a direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 8 is a cross section taken along the plane 8-8, and in a direction shown by the arrows.

Figure 9 is a front view of the coins held in position in a modified form.

Figure 10 is a cross section taken along the plane Ill-l0, shown in Figure 9 and in themrection indicated by the arrows.

Figure 11 is a side view, partly in section ofthe solenoid attachment for operating the mechanism. i 7

Figure 12 is an end view of the same with a schematic diagram of the electrical circuit and connections.

Referring now more specifically to Figure 4,

my device suitably mounted in a casing (not shown) is provided with a knurled knob I having a collar 2 secured in any well known manner, as by pins 3 to a shaft 4. The shaft is supported for rotating near the collar 2 in plates 5 and 6 and its rear end by the U-shaped member 1 (Fig. 1) secured by screws 8 to the plate 6. Suitably mounted on the rear end of shaft 4 by pins 9 for rotation therewith is a cammed member In, upon which rides the L- shaped member H. Member |'l consists of a hollow rectangular frame ea'm follower l2 (Figure 7) and integral therewith and extending horizontally therefromto form an L with frame |2, a lever l4 pivoted to the U-shaped member 1 at pivot l5.

When shaft l is rotated, it will in turn rotate shaft 4 and cam I0 and as the raised part I6 of the cam l0 comes into contact with the frame l2, the frame will be raised, carrying integral lever l4 about its pivot l5.

The under portion or extension H of the frame l2 extends between forked ends l8 of L-- shaped member 20 and is secured to the forkl8 by a pin 22 extending through openings in the fork l8 and extension |1.-

Depending from the member 20 is a connection rod 2|, the upper end of which is threaded and screwed into the end 28a of the L mem ber;28. The threaded portion 2|a of the con necting rod 2| permits an-adjustment of the mechanism as will appear more fully hereinafter and is arranged to be locked inadjusted position by lock and nut 23.

The lower end 24 of the connecting rod- 2| is reduced in diameter and extends through a slot 25 of bell crank 26. Rod 2| is, held in place by a screw head 21. Bell crank 26, pivoted at 28 on the ledge 29, is provided with an arm 32. The arm '32 of bell crank 26 normally rests against a guide plate 33 loosely mounted for sliding movement on guide pins 34 secured to rectangular plate 35 to the under surface. of which is secured the ledge 29 by screw 30.

As will now be clear, the rotation of shaft 4 is translated through cam |2 into a linear vertical movement of L-shaped member 20. The movement of L-shaped member 20 in turn rocks bell crank 32 through link 2| and the rocking movement of bell crank 32produces a linear movement of plate 33 along guide rods 34.

Loosely mounted in openings in the guide plate 33 and extending through openings in the rectangular plate 35 are three pins 36,31 and 38. At the point where these pins enter rectangular plate 35, their diameter is enlarged as shown at 4|, 42 and 43 respectively. The openings in the cover plate 44, mounted on the rectangular plate 35 and in the plate 35 are sufficiently enlarged to permit the enlarged sections of pins 4| to 43to freely slide therein.

Mounted about pins 36 to 38 and between-the shoulder formed by the enlarged sections 4| to 43 and the inner face of plate 33 there are compression springs 45. As the plate 33 is moved inwardly by bell crank 26, the springs 45 are compressed and act against the shoulder of the enlarged sections 4| to 43, to slide the pins 36 to 38 to the rightf The opposite ends 46 to 48 of pins 36 to 38 respectively are also of reduced diameter as shown in Figure 10, and engage the small cylinder-shaped members 5| to 53 respectively which slide in openings 58 in plate 35 of a diameter just sufficient to permit free sliding movement of the members 5| to 53. The opposite face of members 5| to 53 in turn engage individual pins 54 to 56 of slightly reduced diameter and extending through openings 59 in the sliding plate member 51 to be described in more detail hereinafter. Pins 54 to 56 enlarge to heads 6| to 63 respectively, of a diameter to permit free sliding movement in their individual cylinders 68. Heads 6|, 62. and 63 of pins 54 to 56 in turn terminate in a reduced diameter in ends 64 to 66 respectively mounted in cylinders 69 in a second rectangular; plate member 58. At the opposite end 16 of cylinders 68, there are openings of a diameter reduced just suificiently to permit easy sliding movement of the pins 64 to 66. Interposed between the head formed at 10 and the heads 6| to 63 are compression springs 68 which normally force the pins 64 to 66 left to their normal non-operated position.

From the above, it will now be clear that normally springs 68 maintain pin ends 64 to 61*at their extreme left position, determined by the engagement of the heads 6| to 63. These in turn maintain pins to 56 at their extreme left position in which they lie partly in sliding plate member 51 and partly in plate35. Members 5| to 53, and in turn finally'pins 36 to 38, are all at their extreme left positions with plate 33 actuated by spring 45. All extreme left positions are normally caused by action of springs 68.

When the pins 36 to 38 are moved to the right by plate 33 acting on springs 45, in the manner described above, they in turn engage and move members 5| to 53 to the right and these in turn acting through pins 54 to 56 move the last series of pin ends 64 to 66 to the right. These latter pin ends, which I shall refer to hereinafter as the feeler pins, function to measure predetermined physical characteristics of a coin against which they are thus compressed as will appear hereinafter. Before explaining the testing operation, however, the remaining mechanism will first be described in order that the effects of the testing operation may be clear.

The two plate members 35 and 58 are integrally fastened to each other by means of bolts 12 extending transversely through the two plates as shown in dotted construction in Figure 8. Spacers 13 encircle these bolts between the two plates, permitting the sliding member 51 to operate inbetween within the confines of the elongated slots 14, formed therein, as illustrated in Figure 6.

Extending from the plate 6, and securely attached thereto are two supporting pins 84, which extend into two closely fitting chambers formed in plate 58, shown in Figure 4.

These pins 84 support the plate 58, preventing vertical motion and only permitting the plates 58 and 35 to be moved toward or away from plate 6, transversely. The plate member 6 is spaced from the plate member 5 and held secured thereto by elongated spacers 11 and 18 (Figure 8) and provides the coin channel 1| through which the coin is dropped for the purpose of being tested by the feeler pins 64 to 66, the coin being admitted into the channel by theopening provided therefor at 8|.

Integrally secured to the rectangular plate member 58 and extending through openings in the vertical plate 6 are two coin supporting pin members 82 and 83 (Figures 5 and 8), 82 appearing in the dotted line in Figure 4 and sliding pin 83, which is just in back of it, being invisible. These pins serve to normally block the passage of coins which at least approximate the diameter of the coin to be tested through opening M. The coin is thus brought to rest opposite the feeler pins 64 to 56 for the necessary test.

Feeler pin 64, as shown in Figure '4, is cut away at its end to form a right anglenotch. As this feeler is forced to the right under action oi the plate 33 acting through pin '36, this notched portion of the feeler 64 will move into engagement with the coinwiththe under edge of the notch slipping over the circumferential edge of the coin and the right angle notch tangentially engaging the top and also engaging the side of the coin. "As will be obvious," the amount of material cut away to formthe right angle notch need be only of just sufiicient height to permit an engagement with the side and top of a coin of proper diameter. Feeler 64 thus'cooperates with pins 82 and 83 to provide three points for defining the circumferential edge of a coin of a predetermined diameter. A slight variation in the diameter of the coin will either block the feeler 64 from movement to its correct right end position by'resulting in engagement. of the end of the pin with the side of the'coin if the coin is larger than the predetermined diameter, or the coin will not be in the path of the feeler 54 at all if the coin is less than a predetermined diameter, permitting pin to move'too far to the right; Moreover, even in the case of a coin of the proper diameter, the point at which the feeler is brought to a stop in engaging the side of the coin is determined by :the thickness of the coin at the circumferential'edge.' Thus, this feeler measures the diameter 'of'the coin and its thickness along the circumference;

Feeler 65, when forced. to the right, engages the midpoint on a coin of the proper diameter and the extent of its movement is accordingly controlled by the thickness of the coin at the center. Feeler 66 engages the coin at the groove or undercut of the coin formed nearits circumferential edgeas in the case of a five cent piece, so that the movement of its pins is controlled by the existence of the undercut nearits rim.

As will now be clear, four measurements'of the coin are made, namely, the diameter of the coin, its circumferential edge thickness, thickness at the center and existence of the undercut. V i

It will now be obvious that these are merely illustrative of my novel principle and that additional tests of a similar nature may be made such as the thickness at any other symmetrical oint.

p In order to adjust this movement of the feelers, two set screws 35 and81 (Figure 4) are mounted in vertical plate 5 as shown and extend beyond the surface thereof to position the coin horizontally. These two set screws together with pins 82 and 83 thus together determine the horizontal restingposition oi thecoin, and are useful for adjusting purposes. 7

If now the diameter of the coin is correct so that the notch in feeler'fi l engages the circumferential edge of the coin and feeler 64 is brought to a stop at a predetermined position, member 5I is positioned in the, opening in'sliding plate 51, as seen in Figure 6. The length of the cylinder member 5I' is exactly or substantially exactly equal to the thickness ,of the plate 51 and the remaining system' of pins associated with member 5| are of such length that with feeler 64 in proper position, member 5| comes to rest so that it occupies. all of the openingin plate 51 and is wholly within this opening. Similarly if the diameter at the center of the coin is exactly right, the feeler 65 will move to a distance which will positionthe member 52 cylinders 5| to'53 thus wholly occupying their respective openings in slider 51', slider 51 is free to be slid in a longitudinal direction with respect to plates 35 and 58 in a manner described below. The edgesof the pins 5|, 52 and 53 are slightly rounded to permit slight variations in the test of the coin without preventing the sliding plate 51 from moving. f

It should be further noted that in'the event the coin being tested fails to meet any one of the conditions above-described, that is if it is not of the proper diameter and therefore per mits the feeler 64 to move too far or not far enough, or it is not of the proper thickness at the center so that the feeler 65does not move the properdistance or the undercut is not oft-he proper depth or not properly placed, and feeler 55'does not move the correct distance or any combination of thesdthen the corresponding members 5I to 53 will come to rest so that they are partly in the openingsin slide plate 51 and partly in the openings of either rectangular plate 35 or 58 depending upon themovement of the feeler pins. In that case slide plate 51 is blocked from sliding movement.

The manner in which the slide plate 51 is moved will now be described in detail. As shown, slide plate 51 is secured by means of screw 9| to forked member 92, (Figs. 4 and 6) to which is'secured in turn link 53, the lower end of which fits between the fork of the member 92 and is partially secured by screw 94 and the upper end of whichfits between fork 95 and link connection 96 and is secured by means of the screw 91. Link connection 96 in turn is mounted on 'pin SQ which is carriedby vthe shaft lever 98. Lever '98 is integral with the collar member .IEJI loosely mounted on the shaft 4 and is partly cutaway as is shown at I02 (Figure 3) to form a slot. Mounted. in slot I82 and secured to rotate with the shaft 4 isscrew member I03, the function of which will appear more clearly hereinafter. Secured at one end of the collar IM and wound around the shaft 4 is a spring I05, the other end of which is secured to collar I06 loosely. mounted on shaft] and having a projection shoulder I01. Adjacent to the projecting shoulder I01 and secured on the shaft for rotation therewith is the sleeve I08 from which protrudes a 'pin I09 so arranged that when sleeve I08 is rotated with shaft ,4, pin I59 engages the shoulder I 01.

The operation will now be clear. I As the shaft 4 is rotated, pin I89 after a predetermined. angular rotation of the shaft engages the shoulder I01 and rotates the collar I05. As the collar I96 is rotated, the spring I05 is tensioned and the plate H4,

will in turn tend to rotate the collar member IN, and through the collar IIII, shaft lever-98, screw 91, connecting; link 96,' link's 93 and 82, will tend to raise the sliding'platef 51. If the cylinders 5|, 52 and 53 are all properly positioned within the openings in the "slidihl Plate 57, the sliding rod 51 will then move, upward and carry with it'conne'cting frame' -I II secured to the bottom of the slide'member'5l. As the connecting frame I II is raised, it will r'ock the deflecting member II2, one end offwhichis secured tothe bottom of connecting'franie III, at pin ;I"I0, about its pivot. II-l, supportedby spacers I1 and I8, moving it fromtlie'posltion shown under the plate8 to the position shown in dotted line under theplate 5 and the coin,

. accepted in a manner to .be described, in dropping through channel 'II' in the manner now to be described, is then deflected to the left into the coin operated mechanism not shown by, the deflecting member II2. Y

In the event that cylinders 5| to 53 are not properly placed andblock the movement of slide 'rod 51, then, as the shaft 4 is rotated and the spring I05 is tensioned, collar IIII 'will be prevented, from rotating and the tension in the spring I05 will simply not be released. Slide rod 51 in that case, will' of course, not move and the deflecting plate II2 will remain in the posilion. shown in full under plateS. A coin 'II5 'shown in dotted lines '(Figure. 4) V passing through the channelII will'thenbe' guided by secured to the spacing members 11 and I8 at pivot H3 and by the plate H6 secured in any well known manner to the outer plate 5, as by screws 6(a) in Figure 2. The coin is thus rejected into the'receiving pocket IISb, shown in Figure 1. p

The mechanism for releasing the coin after it has been tested in the manner described above will now be described.

In Figure 6, the sliding plate 51 is shown .in front of a channel-shaped member III, which partially encloses the rectangular plate member 58, interposed between the two. This channelshaped member III slides vertically adjacent the plate 6, and its position is determined by a pair of upper and lower screws I I8, extending through their respective elongated slots H9 located in the channel member II'Ijand secured to the plate member 6. Aroundthe screws andslightly greater in thickness than the thickness of the channel member III are two pairs of spacers II8a which permit the free sliding of the channel member III within'the'length of the slots IIS, without interference. The screws H8 have flat heads, wider than the width of the slots, holding the movement of the channel member I I1 to a plane parallel to the plate 6.

The upper pair of screws and slots are shown in dotted construction, Figure 6, hidden behind the sliding plate 51, the lower pair not shown in Figure 6, but illustrated in Figure 4.

Between the upper and lower elongated slots H9, the channel member III is cut away at its web to permit the platemember 58 to lie flush against the plate 6, within the channel. Sufficient space is cut away to permit the channel member to be moved upwardly the length of the elongated slots without touching the lower end of the plate 58 as indicated in Figure 4 and Figure 8. I

Near its upper end, the channel member I" is dovetailed and secured as by a bolt I2I (Figure 4) to a link extension I22. Link I22 terminates in a hollow rectangular member I24 (Figure 6). A cam member I 25 (Figure 4) secured for rotating-with shaft 4" is seated iii-the" hollow portion of the rectangular form member I24 so that as the shaft 4 is rotated counterclockwise ii -Figure 6 and the raised portion of cam I25 comes into contact-with the upper rim of the frame member I24, the frame member and the parts attached thereto willybe' raised.

As the shaft. 4 is rotated; cam I25 through the frame 24 carrieslinle'amem'ber I22. in a reciprocatins up and down movement. The channel member III is also positioned relative to the" channelv "member III which causes p'lates 35 and 58 to move transversely aahereinafter explained.

As shown in Figure 1, thelreadof' a screw member I28 extends from the sides ofmember so through sloping elongated slots I29- in the side of the channel member III. As the channel member III is raisedin the manner described above, screw members I28 with cam shaped head'sar'e forced along the sloping slots. I29 and thus carry members 35 and 58 in a transverse direction' away from plate member 6 on tracks formed in pin chambers 85 moving on fixed pins 84. In this operation supporting fingers 82 and 83 (Figures 4 and 5), which normally hold the coin in position to be tested, are moved transversely with the member 58 from underneath the coin, the coin is thus released, dropping down through the opening II and being discharged either to the-*left over H2 or to the right over member II4, depending upon the previous alignments of member H4 in accordance with .the test operation of the coin as already described. ,Inthe former case,,that is with the coin testsuch that the coin is to be accepted by the machine, member II2 has been rocked to the dotted-position and the coin is moved to. the left into the directory chamber I20 leading to the coin operated mechanism not shown.

The operation of the device should now be obvious. With the mechanism in the position shown, and the knob I rotated to its maximum counterclockwise position, the apparatus is in the position shown in Figure 4.

In the normal non-operating position, bell crank 32 is in its counterclockwise position, as shown, and pins 54 to extend across plate 51 and plate 58. This fixed the position of the plate 51 and in turn its connecting links to collar member IIIL When, therefore, screw I03 engages the side of member IIlI in the counterclockwise movement of shaft 4, the plate member 51 is brought to its starting position as shown in Figure 4, its final position determined by the elongated slots 14 acting on the screws I2 and spaces 13.. This prevents the further rotation of the shaft 4, and is the normal non-operating position of the shaft. In this position, the fiat part of cam I0 is in a horizontal position and at its top. Frame I I is resting on this fiat surface, so that the frame is in ranged with respect to most counterclockwise'position as'related heretofore.- Cam I25 is {in the position shown in Figure 6 with i't's' fiat surface in a vertical position andthe lowermost portion of the cam in engagement'with frame I24. Frame I24 and all parts connected thereto including channel member III are accordingly in their lowermost position. Plates 35 and 58 are accordingly in their exterme right position with fingers 82 and 85 in position to receive and support a coin.

- With the apparatus'thus in normal position, a coin is inserted in the opening 8I and drops through the channel formed by the members TI and 18 and comes to rest on the supporting fingers 82 and 83. The knob I is'now' rotated in a clockwise direction. The cam I0 isso arall the other cams on shaft 4 that this cam is thefirst to operate by causing its elevated portion I6 to engage and raise frame II. As already described in detail, a movement is thus transferred through members 20, 2I, 26, 32, etc, to move the feeler pins 64, and 66 to the rightand against the side of the coin to betested. The testing operation of these three fingers has already been described in detail, and as already explained heretofore, if all other tests performed indicate a legitimate coin, members H to 53 are so positioned that the plate 51 is free to slide vertically with respect to plates 35 and 58. As the knob I continues to rotate shaft 4, pin I08 acts on collar I06 to spring I05, the increasing ten sion on spring I05 becomes suflicient to rotate sleeve collar IOI which in turn through link members 93, 92 and 8| operates to fslide member 51 vertically and pivoted deflecting member H2 is rocked to the dotted position, conducting coin through channel I20. v

On further movement of knob I, the raised portion of cam I25 engages frame I24. Frame I24 is raised and in turn operates member- I22 to raise the channel member I". As the channel member II'I rises in the manner described in detail hereinbefore, raising the sloping slots I28, members 35 and 58 are moved transversely along the tracks formed by pins 84 removing the supporting fingers 82 and 83 from the coin which has already been tested and permitting the coin to be dropped through channel II. The coin is then accepted by the machine, if the test as described above indicated a correct coin by permitting member 5'! to be raised and deflecting member H2 to be rocked clockwise, or the coin is rejected, if member 5I was unable to move upwardly so that member H2 remained in the position shown.

When a coin is inserted into the machine before a preceding coin has been tested, it is desirable to maintain the second coin from interfering with the testing operation of the first coin. To this end two pivoted levers I42 mounted on spindles I43 respectively, are provided at the lower ends with lug extensions I44. Members I42 are mounted along sides in the channel formed between plates 5 and 6 as shown in Figure 5. The members I42 are further provided with cam followers I46 which are normally held in engagement with the surface of cam I41 mounted on shaft 4 by means of spring I48 which is connected to both of lever members and urges them towards each other. Cam I41 is so mounted on shaft .4 and is in such relation terifering with the with the remaining cams that near the completion of the rotation of shaft 4 and after the supporting fingers 82' and 83 have released the preceding coin and'have heenreturned to their original supporting position, the depressed portion of cam I41 comes opposite the followers I46. Followers I46 under the action of spring I48 force the depressed portion of the cam to rock their respective levers I42 about their pivots I43, movinglugs I44 out of engagement with the coin being held. The coin is thus permitted to drop into engagement with the supporting pins 82 and 83 in preparation for the .test. As shown, the depressed portion of cam I4'I occupies only a relatively small portion of the circumference of the cam, so that the followers, almost immediately after release of the coin, are moved by the raised portion of. the cam to again present lugs I44 for intercepting a coin while the preceding coin is being tested.

In Figure 10 is shown amodiflcation of the mechanism for testing coins successively as .indicated above. a I

This consists in providing an additional pin I6I operating in thechamber I64 and extending through plates 35, 51, and 58. Inasmuch as plate 51 slides longitudinally, a chamber I60 is provided therein allowing the plate 51 to move longitudinally to its extreme position without in- I operation of the pin I 6I The pin is provided'with an enlarged portion I63 which gives it transverse support aided by the extreme rightend'I65 of the pin as it enters the plate 6 to support the coin 5a in the passage II.

When the plate 33 is propelled to the right because of the movement of the bell crank 32, the spring I62 encircling the pin I6I acts on the pin at I63 and propels itto the right against the action of the spring I66, forcing I65 against the coin H5a holding it in position while the coin below is being tested. After the test has been completed, the bell crank 32 plate 33, permitting the spring I66 pin I6I back to its left position releasing the coin I I5a to be tested.

In Figure l0 the remaining mechanism shown is that normally used as indicated in Figure 4.

In Figure 9, the pin 64, normally in a vertical line, is shifted slightly to the left to permit its operation without interference with the coin ad- Jacent. Pin end I 65 is shown in its relative position behind the coin H5a.

Although for purposes'of illustration 1 have shown a preferred form of my invention, it will be obvious, that the principle which fundamentally embodies testing the essential characteristics of a legitimate coin and the positive and direct operation as a result of this test, may be carried outwith modified structures which still come within the invention herein described.

Thus it will be obvious that instead of manual operation of the knob I, I may provide an electrical operation as illustrated in Figure 12 in which the electrically insulated supporting. pins I3I and I32 equivalent to the supporting pins 82 and 83 of Figure 5 are electrically connected through a battery I33 to a solenoid magnet I 34. When a coin is dropped through the. channel in the manner described above and comes to rest as shown at I35, a circuit is completed through the coin to operate magnet I34. Integral with the plunger I86 of. magnet I34is a ratchet member I31, the teeth of which mesh with the teeth of spindle I38 which is secured to and rotates releases the to force theshaft 4. As the magnet is energized and pulls plunger I36 towards itself, ratchet I31 will rotate spindle I38 and the shaft 4 for performing the testing and accepting or rejecting operations described above.

Following the completion of a test operation and the acceptance or rejection of the coin, it is necessary, of course, to restore the apparatus to normal. In the case of the first modification illustrated, this is accomplished by a spring I5I, one end of which is secured to the frame, the other end of which is secured to a flexible member I52 extending over a pulley I53 secured to and rotating shaft 4. -Member I52 is affixed to pulley I53 in any well known manner. As the shaft 4 is rotated clockwise spring I5I is tensioned'and when knob I Is released at the completion of all operations, the shaft 4 under the action of spring I5I is rotated counterclockwise to'its original position.

In the case of the secondmodification, as the solenoid operates shaft 4, a spiral spring member I54 (Figure 11), one end of which is secured to frame I55 or member I is tensioned. in the manner described above, as solenoid I34 rotates the shaft. Following the test described above, and the proper operation of the coin deflecting member accepting or rejecting the coin, members 35 and 58 are moved transversely Coin supporting pins I3I and I32 are withdrawn and the circuit for magnet I34 is opened. Therefore, spring I54 becomes efiective to rotate shaft 4 in a counterclockwise direction back to its normal position.

Although for purpose of illustration I have shown my invention as applied to mechanical operation, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that I may also perform my operations electrically. Thus, for example, I may arrange my feeler pins 64 to 66 so that when properly positioned by a coin being tested, an electrical circuit is completed to a magnet which operates deflecting member II2. Similarly, although I have illustrated a specific manner of applying power for moving the feelerpins, it will be obvious that this is merely for purpose of illustration and that I may use any other well known method such as an electrical operation rendered operative automatically, when a coin is inserted for directly applying power to these feeler pins. These modifications are obvious expedients for carrying out my invention which primarily resides in the operation of the feeler pins for coin testing and the direct automatic and joint control by these pins of a selector for either accepting or rejecting the coin.

Accordingly, I do not want to be limited by the specific illustrations of my invention herein given, but only as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a coin testing device; means for receiving a coin to be tested comprising a pairof pins arranged to position said coin in a predetermined position; a third pin; means for moving said third pin towards said coin, said three pins locating three points defining the diameter of the class of coins to be tested; selecting mechanism operativein the event that the circumferential edge of said coin includes said three points for arranging to selectively accept said coin, said third pin having a notched end for defining the third position of the circumferential edge of the predetermined coin having a predgterniined diameter andalso defining the thickness of the coin at the circumferential edge.

2. In a coin, testing device; means for receiving a coin tobe tested comprising a pair of pins arranged to position said coin in a predetermined position; a third "pin; means for moving said third pin towards said coin, said three pins locating three points defining the diameter of the class of coins to be tested; selecting mechanism operative in the event that the circumferential edge of said coin includes said three points'for arranging to selectively accept said coin, said third pin having a notched end for defining the third positionof the circumferential edge of the predetermined coin having a predetermined diameter and also defining the thickness of the coin at the circumferential edge; a fourth 'pin cooperating with said third pin for defining the thickness of .the coin at a further position which is symmetrical irrespective of the angular insertion of said coin.

3. In a coin testing device; means for receiving a coin to be tested comprising a pair of pins arranged to position said coin in a predetermined position; a third pin; means for moving said third pin towards said coin, said three pins locating three points defining the diameter of the class of coins to be tested; selecting mechanism comprising feeler pins located solely on one side of said coin and operative in the event that the circumferential edge of said coin includes said three points for arranging to selectively accept said coin, said third pin having a notched end for defining the third position of the circumferential edge of the predetermined coin having a predetermined diameter and also defining the thickness of the coin at the circumferential edge.

4. In a coin'testing device; means for receiving a coin to be tested comprising a pair of pins arranged to position said coin in a predetermined position; a third pin; means for moving said' third pin towards said coin, said three pins locating three points defining the diameter of the class of coins to be treated; selecting mechanism comprising feeler pins for determining the characteristics of said coin which are common to both sides and operative in the event that the circumferential edge of said coin includes said three points for arranging to selectively accept said coin, said third pin having a notched end for defining the third position of the circumferential edge of the predetermined coin having a predetermined diameter and also defining the thickness of the coin at the circumferential edge. 7

5. In a coin testing device; means for receiving a coin to be tested comprising a pair of pins arranged to. position said coin in a predetermined position; a third pin; means for moving said third pin towards said coin, said three pins locating three points defining the diameter of the class of coins to be tested; selecting mechanism operative in the event that the circumferential edge of said coin includessaid three points for arranging to selectively accept said coin, said third pin having a notched end for defining the third position of the circumferential edge of the predetermined coin having a predetermined diameter and also defining the thickness of the coin at the circumferential edge; said selecting mechanism including. a fourth pin for measuring the thickness of the coin at the center.

EMIL GRA'F. 

